So my truck brokedown in BRC on Sunday, the cause? The gas that I got from Empire Store was almost 50% water! When I called them to warn them that their gas had water in it, they yelled at me and hung up on me!!! Please help me to spread the word about this. I wasn't even asking them to reimburse me, I just wanted to make sure that they didn't sell anyone else any bad gas!! Tell everyone you know to not go to the Empire Store for gas ever again. Call them and tell them that they can't do this to our community!!! (775) 557-2311

The gas and the store are two separate operations. I have not heard of anyone else having a problem with the gas, and I'm sure that word would have gotten out if this was the cases. There were hundreds of vehicles filled up there.If you made it as far as BRC, is it possible that someone filled what they thought was your water tank, but was the gas filler spot?

I filled up at Empire on the way in. I was in a fully loaded truck with a trailer and ran it down to a 1/4 tank before re filling in Reno.This new information (that my truck runs fine on a 50-50 gas water mix) is going to save me a bunch of money in the future!

also consider, that water sits in the bottom of the storage tank, so, it's pumped out first. depending on how much water was in there, most would probably be gone in the first few customers, and none to be seen later. and,if they put dispersants in, (which is often the case) then none would show up........I'd not say they were selling "bad gas".....I'd say, if anything, there was water either in that tank, from sitting, or in the delivery, and you got most.........bad as that is. Still not right to not listen to your complaint, though.

Empire store rocks! Empire gas is cheap gas at conveinence to the playa price! (ya, we've always known this and manage to keep away from it). Does it have water in it, doubt it, but it is not top of the line.Its what you would find in town on side street no name gasoline. so in town where everyone is charging 4.00 a gal, it would be the same as the lil market that under sales all other gas staions at 3.50 a gal. Does it screw with your automobile, sure...nothing a lil' gas treatment wont solve and remove. If you had a severe issue with your truck, it might have been already there and a tank full of low grade didnt help.

unjonharley wrote:First of all, What test did you preform to conclude the 50/50 gas/water?

Water floats on gas.. A person would have to drive enough to burn off the gas to get water to the engine..

Sorry about that..................

Gas floats on water... At 50/50/ gas water you would have an instant stall. Check your air sensor just after the air filter.. DO NOT touch it with your fingers.. That can damage the sensor.. There is a spray designed just to clean that one item.. If it get coated with dust.. Your engine will kick, snot and choke.. your MPG will drop like a rock.. Took me 500 mile of limping the van home to find this problem..

I am now dealing with the owner of The Empire Store regarding this situation. I do not believe that they would ever intentionally do this. They are good people. However, when I called to notify them yesterday, I got yelled at, sworn at and hung up on. I will keep all of you updated on this situation. I am extremely satisfied that I got a call from the owner today and that he is being pro-active to investigate the situation.

Keep your tank topped off if it's going to sit for a while. We are from northern Wi.The changing temperature (engine heat and all) will draw moisture into the tank.

I come into BRC from Cedarville, 80 mile.. Fill up in Cedarville, drive to BRC, set camp and fill from the reserve cans.

Some old tricks from days gone by are still good..

While working out on the range long ago.. We covered the air cleaners when sitting in a sand storm.. So I cover the VW vans air cleaner at BM.. That one is wide open and next to the ground. Still install a new filter at the Gerlach dump on the way out.. Just some stuff I leaned and do automatic.

steve.t.sullivan wrote:My friend showed me a picture of her Burner friend pissing in the gas tank of an RV belonging to neighbours that annoyed him this year. Just saying.

jesus, i *really* think that is the *wrong* kind of thing to do at this event. seriously?! like a couple of pints of piss would have any effect at all. he should really be pissing in the *fresh water* tank.

Our little caravan filled up at the Empire store on the Thursday morning before gates opened. We did nothing special about our gas tanks or air filters, did not fill up again until after we left Reno the Wednesday after Labor Day, and recorded our best gas mileage ever for that leg of the trip.

Your Mileage May Vary. But please don't trash the already struggling until you have proof.

"Burning Man ruined my life as I knew it, and I have never been happier." -mgb327

50/50 Gas Water mix! Do you even know the Slightest thing about Engines? and if you are that Ignorant to the impossibility of your Car even Starting After you put that in, Than you are prolly ignorant of all the other things it could have been. Why I should join you in your outrage?

.......................................................................................Oh yeah, this year I was totally twerping out at the fence. ~Lonesombri

I was on-playa for three weeks. Until I saw this post, I did not hear anything about bad gas in Empire.

One report of issues does not prove that there was actually a problem. (It does not prove there isn't a problem either, but if it was the gas station, more people would be reporting issues...)

Perhaps if you contacted the gas station, rather than the store, you might get better results. Have you had an independent gas station test your fuel.

When did you buy your fuel, what time of day, what kind of fuel, how much, which pump was used?? When exactly did you start to notice that there was a problem? (What day/time?) What distance had you driven your vehicle from the time it was fueled up until the problems started? Had your vehicle sat for any length of time prior to the problems occurring? Does your fuel tank have some sort of lock (either the gas cap, lid, etc) ??

Inquiring minds want to know...

Love Rice

Roach: "I feel like in this day and age, every girl should know how to build a flamethrower."